One of the first places eager parents try to babyproof is the staircase. And while stair-related injuries to kids dropped 11.6 percent from 1999 to 2008, a child is still treated for injuries that occur on or near their household stairs every six minutes. For infants, 25 percent of the injuries occur when mom and dad are carrying the tot down the stairs.

According to a new report in a March 12 article from Pediatrics, US homes are not designed with safety in mind, and parents — especially those with children under 5 years old, as they tend to spend more time at home — need to make some big changes and make them quickly. Keep reading to see the three most important things parents can do to make their home staircase more safe.